Plus ça change – December 13, 2025
Marie was born in 1801. The US bought Louisiana Territory in 1803. Over time, Americans filtered into the city and took over from the French and Spanish. They brought with them Puritanical American attitudes towards slavery, which were far harsher. Marie grew up and lived through increasing oppression of both slaves and free people of color. Racism was always there, it just got worse. A lot worse.
Ah, but that was 200 years ago. Right?
THEN – the Governor of Louisiana
“The immigration of free negroes from other states of the Union into Louisiana… is a source of great evil. Public policy dictates, the interest of the people requires, that immediate steps should be taken at this time to remove all free Negroes who are now in the State.”
NOW – the President of the United States
“Send them back to where they came from.”
It is the role of the author of historical fiction to speak the truth. I will bend the facts for the good of the story, but the truth must remain. Perhaps someone somewhere reading this story about two hundred years ago will see that truth and apply it from then to now. The threat is the same—whether it wears a white robe and conical hat, or a long red tie.
